Sash balance



May 27, 1930; J P, APPLEBY 1,760,226

SASH BALANCE Filed March 21, 1927 Patented May 27, 1930 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES P. APPLEBY', LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR T0 FRANK GRAVES SASH, DOOR/AND MILL COMPANY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA SASH BALANCE Application filed March 21, 1927. Serial No. 176,893.

This invention has to do generally with sash balances and is more particularly concerned with situations where it is desirable that a spring-actuated, drum type of balance be applied only to one sideof the sash.

Spring actuated balances are necessarily comparatively expensive and where the sash to be balanced is comparatively light and expense is a controlling factor, attempts have,

can made to use a single balance. These attempts, however, have not led to success, primarily because the single balance tends to rotate the sash about a horizontal axis and throw the upper corner, on the side opposite the point of balance application, into binding engagement with the frame.

Therefore it is the principal object of this invention to provide means adapted to counteract this rotational tendency, thereby keeping the sash in proper alinement or squarely between the side members of the frame, thereby insuring proper sash movement. Since the 7 and sash embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a type of spring-actuated balance which may be embodied in my invention, and showing vone method of applying the supporting band to the sash; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing a preferred type ofpressure shoe.

In Fig. 1 are shown the spaced side members and 11 of a window frame enerally designated at F,)the sash S being a apted to slide vertically etween said members in' the usual manner. Sash S is shown as made up of side members 12, 13, top and bottom mempgrs 1 and 15, respectively, and glass panel Supported by frame member 11 is a springactuatedsash balance generally indicated at 17, while generally indicated at 18'is, a pressure shoe which is adapted to act between frame member 10 and sash member 12.

Balance 17 may be any suitable type, though I here show a' balance made in accordance with the showing in my two co-pending applications for U. S. Letters Patent on sash balances, filed Apr. 20, 1926, and Jan. 3, 1927, bearing Serial Numbers 103,247, and 158,586, respectively; this type of balance being particularly well adapted for embodiment in the present invention.

Though a detailed description of the balance is unnecessary, I will set forth its general nature. Housing structure 19 includes a face plate 20 secured at 21 to member 11, a pair of spaced side plates 22, am a U-strap 23. A spring actuated drum 24 is mounted for rotation about an axle 25 which extends between and is held stationarily by plates 22. One end of actuating spring 26 is connected to axle 25 and the other end 27 is connected to the drum. The flexible, metallic sash supporting band 28, which is adapted to form the connection between the. balance and sash, is wound about drum 24, and the tendency of the spring is to rotate the drum in a direction to take up the band thereon.

Face plate 20 has a transverse slot 29 through which band 28 is ada ted to beled from drum 24, the plate prefera ly being bent inwardly adjacent the slot to provide an inclining face 30 over which the band is drawn. A brake is provided in the form of flat spring 31 hearing at its free end 32 on the band where it passes over face 3.0. The spring is fulcrumed intermediate its ends onface-plate lug or boss 33, and the connection 34 between the face plate and the other end of the spring is of a nature to provide for the adjustment of the brake to vary its braking force on the band and therefore to vary the effective power of spring 26 in tending to act on the sash, as will be readily seen.

The free end 35 of the supporting band is applied in any suitable manner to sash S. For instance,'it may carry a clip 36 which is nailed at 37 to the undersi e f the sash.

Now it will be seen that, in the absence of a companion balance on the other side of the sash, the upward pull of band 28 under the influence of spring 26 has a tendency to rotate the sash in a counter-clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 1) about a horizontal axis. Unless counteracted, this force tends to press sash corner 38 (that is, the upper Now, my claim contemplates the use of anysuitable type of, pressure shoe and the anchoring or attachment-of-the shoe in any suitable manner either to the-frame or sash member. Therefore, my'claim is not to be construed as limited to the "details shown.

A supporting member or bearing plate 39 is setwithin the facial recess 40 provided in sash member 12 at a point opposite frame member 10, the plate being secured in place by screws 41. Pressure shoe 42'is in the form of a flat s ring centrally bowed at 43, being reversely cut at 44 near one of its ends and being extended longitudinally from the bend to provide-an attachment or lever arm 45.

Preferably, though not necessarily, the spring) is'reinforced at the bend and exteny an underlying, conforming ele-- sion ment 46.

While it is actually the reinforcing element that serves as a fulcrum in engagement with plate 39, in effect it is the bend'44 of the spring and my claim is drawn with this effectiveness in view, since the reinforcing member maybe considered merelyas a builtup portion-ofthe spring. Hereafter, in the specification, I willconsider the spring as being fulcrumed at bend 44on plate 39. For

the purpose of my claim, said plate may also be considered as a part of the sash, since it.

is rigidly secured thereto, and attachment might be made directly between the spring and sash without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

, ,Lever arm or extension 45' is normally spaced from platefl39 and carriesa bolt Which passes through. the late into a s'ub-recess'48ofmember 12, the olt also extending through element 46in order to hold it in assembly with the spring. Nut 49 is threaded on the bolt beneath plate 39 and is held from rotating'by a lug 5O depressed from the plate. It will be evident that rotation of bolt 47 acts on lever arm 45 in a'manner to, or tending to, rotate spring 42 about fulcrum "thereby toforce face 43 into-contact with the opposite face 51 of member 10 with varying degrees of pressural contact. Or actuation of bolt 47 may be considered as serving to vary the effective tension of spring 42 and thereby to vary the degree of frictional resistance offered to the sliding of the sash through the frame.

It will be seen that the disposition and nature of the pressure shoe is such that it exerts a force tengling to spread a art frame member 10 andthe upper end 0 member 12, thus counteracting the described rotational tendency of the sash as setup by balance 17. By proper relative adjustment of brake 31 and spring 42, a balance may be established which will insure that the sash remains squarely within the frame so as to" slide smoothly therethrough.

It will be noted that only the bowed portion of spring 42 projects beyond the edge of member 12. In order to insure that the free end 52 of the sprin may never project beyond the edge of mem er 12, I preferably rovide a guard or stop. This guard may be ormed conveniently by bending the end of plate 39 upon itself, as at 53, and then bending it outwardly into spaced relation with respect to the main portion of the plate to provide an extension 54 overlying springend 52.;

It will be understood the drawings and description are to be considered merely as illustrative of and not restrictive on the claim appended hereto, for various changes in design, structure and arrangement ma be made without departing from the spirlt and scope of said claim.

I claim:

I In combination with a window frame and .a sash member adapted to slide vertically in corner of said other side member free of the frame'member in. all positions of the sash. In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 15th day of February, 1927.

JAMES P.- APPLEBY. 

